Fourth suspect arrested in Patel murder

Anderson County Sheriff’s Office investigators have made a fourth arrest in the murder of Anderson businessman Chandrakant “CJ” Patel earlier this month. On Tuesday, July 24, Ezra Williams, BM, 21, was also arrested and charged in connection with the incident.

On July 1, members of Patel’s family filed a missing persons report after being unable to contact him for several hours. Four days later, Kyndra Howell, WF, 22; Zachary Gantt, BM, 17; and Jeremiah Johnson, BM, 29 were arrested on charges of kidnapping, based on evidence developed from surveillance videotape.

On July 11, Patel’s body, displaying gunshot wounds, was found in a wooded area near the Hartwell Dam, off of Highway 29 South. The charges against the three were upgraded to murder charges, along with armed robbery, kidnapping, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.